God Bless Mohamad Chatah's Soul

By: Elias Bejjani*

 http://www.10452lccc.com

Once again the Iranian-Syrian Evil Of Axis Criminals brutally assassinate a patriotic, peaceful and intellectual Lebanese dignitary.  Today, in occupied and oppressed  Lebanon, the former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah was murdered in a massive car bomb blast that killed also and seriously injured tens of innocent citizens in Lebanon's capital, Beirut.

Mohamad Chatah, the courageous outspoken 62 years old moderate academic and noble political figure strongly believed in a free and sovereign Lebanon, dialogue, the language of reason, and in the right to different views and political stances.

Sadly, this morning, Chatah joined all the other patriotic and heroic Lebanese martyrs who with faith and devotion fell while struggling to reclaim Lebanon's confiscated independence, sovereignty and freedoms. 

There is no doubt that the Assad dictatorship intelligence and the terrorist Hezbollah Iranian militia are behind this horrible crime, as they were with evilness and shame accountable for all other similar crimes that occurred since 1960 and targeted Lebanese patriotic leaders, clergymen, officials and politicians.

It is worth mentioning that Chatah's assassination took place three weeks before the long-delayed opening of a trial of five Hezbollah suspects indicted for the 2005 bombing that killed former Lebanese PM Rafik al-Hariri with 21 other individuals.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), trial is due to start next month in Hague. The suspects are all prominent Hezbollah military members. Meanwhile this terrorist Iranian organization has strongly refused to cooperate with the court, alleging it is politically motivated.

In my capacity as a Canadian - Lebanese Human Rights Activist and political commentator, I strongly and with the harshest terms condemn  this barbaric and terrorist crime and call on the free world countries to help the Lebanese people and its patriotic and peaceful leaders by all available means and resources to reclaim Lebanon's independence that is confiscated by Hezbollah,  the Iranian-Syrian Axis of Evil military proxy

Deepest sympathies are extended to the families and friends of those killed in today, and all wish for a speedy recovery to all the injured.
May the souls of all those innocent victims that were killed today rest in peace.

*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Face Book https://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Twitter Elias Bejjani@phoeniciaelias

Background

Former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah, Anti-Assad Lebanese ex-minister killed in Beirut bomb
By Samia Nakhoul and Stephen Kalin | Reuters /December 27/13
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah, who opposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was killed in a massive bomb blast which one of his political allies blamed on Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah militia. Friday's attack also killed five other people and threw Lebanon, which has been drawn into neighboring Syria's conflict, into further turmoil after a series of sectarian bombings aimed at Shi'ites and Sunnis over the past year. Former prime minister Saad al-Hariri accused Hezbollah of involvement in the killing of Chatah, his 62-year-old political adviser, saying it was "a new message of terrorism". "As far as we are concerned the suspects ... are those who are fleeing international justice and refusing to represent themselves before the international tribunal," Hariri said. Chatah's killing occurred three weeks before the long-delayed opening of a trial of five Hezbollah suspects indicted for the 2005 bombing which killed former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, Saad's father, and 21 other people. The trial is due to open in The Hague in January. The suspects are all fugitives and Hezbollah, which denies any role in the Hariri assassination, has refused to cooperate with the court, which it says is politically motivated. Preliminary U.N. investigations implicated Syrian officials. Chatah, a Sunni Muslim, was a vocal critic of Hezbollah. A message on his Twitter account less than an hour before the blast accused the group of trying to take control of the country. "Hezbollah is pressing hard to be granted similar powers in security and foreign policy matters that Syria exercised in Lebanon for 15 years," the tweet read. The conflict in Syria has polarized Lebanon and increased sectarian tensions. Hezbollah has sent fighters to Syria to fight alongside Assad, who is from the Alawite sect, a heterodox offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. Some of the Sunni Syrian rebel groups are linked to al Qaeda, which is also seeking to topple Assad. Former minister Marwan Hamadeh, who survived a car bomb in 2004, told Al Arabiya television: "Hezbollah will not be able to rule Lebanon, no matter how much destruction it causes or blood it spills."
CONDEMNATION
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati and officials from across Lebanon's sectarian political divide condemned Chatah's killing. Mikati said the blast targeted "a moderate academic and noble political figure who believed in dialogue, the language of reason and the right to different views". Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar described the explosion as a crime. "We condemn this terrorist act," he told Hezbollah's Al Manar television. "It is part of a terrorist wave which the region and Lebanon are witnessing". While Chatah had no political power base of his own, his international experience, diplomatic contacts and academic analysis made him a key member of Hariri's circle of advisers. An economist and a diplomat, he worked for the International Monetary Fund in Washington and served as Lebanon's ambassador to the United States. He was also minister of finance from July 2008 to November 2009, after which he worked as a foreign policy adviser to the younger Hariri. Sources at the explosion site said Chatah was on his way to attend a meeting at Hariri's headquarters when the explosion tore through his car. Hariri himself has stayed away from Lebanon for more than two years, fearing for his safety. A Reuters witness said Chatah's car was "totally destroyed, it is a wreck." Chatah's identity card, torn and charred, was found at the scene. Iran, which backs Hezbollah, came under attack in Beirut last month. On November 19, two suicide bombings rocked the embassy compound, killing at least 25 people including an Iranian cultural attache. The sound of Friday's blast was heard across the city at around 9:40 a.m. (0740 GMT) and black smoke was seen rising in the chic downtown business and hotel district. It shattered glass in nearby apartment blocks and damaged cars, restaurants, coffee shops and offices. "I heard a huge explosion and saw a ball of fire and palls of black smoke. We ran out of our offices to the streets," said Hassan Akkawi, who works in a finance company nearby. "The explosion caught motorists driving in the morning rush hour here. There was terror and panic among residents. There was a big ball of fire and panic everywhere and then we learned that Chatah was the target," said Adel-Raouf Kneio.Much of Beirut went into lockdown following the explosion, with police blocking off roads across the city. After a series of explosions in the capital and in the northern city of Tripoli, the Lebanese army had stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year, fearing further attacks.
FEAR AND PANIC
The explosion shocked residents and emptied the streets in downtown Beirut, where people seeking a respite from recent turmoil had ventured out to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
"I was on my way to open the store and then the explosion happened. For a while I was thinking, 'Am I still alive?' I didn't know what happened. I was just seeing the people running and holding their ears and eyes, and running," said Maya, manager of the Taten dress shop. The owner of a restaurant down the street from the blast site, whose windows were smashed, said: "The damage to the glass is not the problem. People won't want to come here now. We were fully booked for the next five days." Workers at luxury dress shops next to the site, where the entire glass facade was destroyed, were sweeping up glass, picking up damaged mannequins and counting the damage to the luxury dresses. "I consider all this terrorism, damaging the country and the people. What can we say more? God helps us, God help this country," said Lebanese citizen Jamal near the explosion scene.
(Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny, Leila Bassam and Dominic Evans; Editing by Giles Elgood
 

ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية

ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية

بقلم/الياس بجاني

 ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية/الياس بجاني/25 كانون الأول/13
 http://www.10452lccc.com/elias%20arabic11/elias%2025.12.13.htm
 بالصوت/ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية/الياس بجاني/25 كانون الأول/13
 http://www.clhrf.com/elias.editorials13/elias.christmas.13.wma

مع الاحتفال بذكرى ولادة المخلص، وإطلالة السنة الجديدة، نتقدم من الجميع بأحر التهاني والتبريكات، طالبين من المولود الإلهي الفرج والسلام والطمأنينة لوطننا الأم لبنان، وعطايا الثبات والرجاء والإيمان للصامدين فيه من أهلنا بوجه الظلم، والهداية للمرتدين منهم والشاردين، والبصيرة للمُغرر بهم، والتوبة للإسخريوتيين، وصحوة الضمير لحاملي مباخر التبجيل والذمية والتقية والنفاق.

مع الذكرى المقدسة تمثِّلنا الكلمة الحرة الموضوعية الصارخة، الكلمة التي كانت في البدء، والتي هي الله، والتي صارت بشراً فسكنت بيننا ورأينا مجدها، فهي تنوب عنا بمفهومها الإنجيلي مُحلِقةً في الأثير، راحلةً لتدق أبواب وقلوب الأهل في وطن الأرز، وبلاد الانتشار حيث رفاق غربتنا والحنين، معايدينهم بها وعبرها، راغبين لهم جميعاً في ميلاد مجيد وعام سعيد تكللهما بركات ونِعم السماء. ثم نسأل الطفل الإله دفق المسرات عليهم وإغداق أنداء السلام والوئام والمحبة والاطمئنان.

إن ما يواجهه وطننا المعذب وأهلنا من صعاب لا يمكن مقاربتها إلا بالإيمان والثقة المطلقة بالعناية الإلهية. إن سلاح الإيمان المبني على الرجاء لا يُقهر وهو الأقوى. تسلحنا به منذ 7000 آلاف سنة ولا زلنا، وهو لم، ولن يخذلنا بإذن الله. لنتذكر باستمرار أن فاقد الإيمان يجعل من نفسه عبداً لشهواته والأطماع، والقديس بولس الرسول يقول: "ألا تعلمون أنكم إذا جعلتم أنفسكم عبيداً في خدمة أحدٍ لتخضعوا له صرتم عبيداً لمن تخضعون؟ إما للخطيئة التي تقود إلى الموت، وإما إلى الطاعة التي تقود إلى البر" (رومة 6-15)

نطلب من طفل المغارة أن يقوي إيماننا لأن من له ذرة إيمان كحبة خردل يمكنه نقل الجبال، وقد وبخ السيد المسيح تلاميذه لضآلة إيمانهم يوم خافوا مرتبكين من هبوب رياح العاصفة على المراكب، قائلا لهم: "ما بالكم مضطربين يا قليلي الإيمان، ثم زجر الريح فسكن البحر وحدث هدوءُ تام" (متى 9-19-20)

ونحن نحتفل ونصلي، يجب أن لا ننسى أن سِيَّر القديسين والشهداء تُعلِمنا أن المؤمن لا يمكن أن تهزمه شدائد ولا تسحقه تجارب: "فالشدة تلد الصبر، والصبر يلد الاختبار، والاختبار يلد الرجاء، والرجاء لا يخيب صاحبه، لأن محبة الله أفيضت في قلوبنا بالروح القدس الذي وهب لنا" (رومة 5 - 4 و5).

 نداء من القلب نوجهه إلى كل الذين قتلتهم الأنانية، وغرقوا في أوحال وشباك وأفخاخ النفوذ والمال والسلطة، وإلى كل من يخبطون مهزومين في دواخلهم لقلة إيمانهم ونفاد رجائهم، أن يتعظوا بكلام السيد المسيح: "إن ثبتّم في كلامي، كنتم حقاً تلاميذي تعرفون الحقّ والحق يحرركم" (يوحنا 8-32)

مع كل المؤمنين والشرفاء وأصحاب الضمائر الحية نجدِّد العهد والقسَّم متابعين مسيرة النضال السلمي والحضاري الهادف للذود بإيمان وعزيمة ودون هوادة عن حق أهلنا في وطن الأرز بحياة حرة وكريمة. سنستمر بإذن إله العيد رافعين عالياً رايات الشهادة للحق دون خوف أو مسايرة، أو التفات لاحتياجات ذاتية آنية، أو مصالح لغير الوطن وناسه والهوية. فمن يشهد للحق، الحق يحرره.

 ونحن في خشعة غربتنا الصامتة دائماً، والقاتلة أحياناً، نرحل بالقلب والروح والفكر على أجنحة الكلمة إلى أجواء لبناننا المعذب وجباله والوديان، وإلى صوامع نساكه وكنائسه والأديرة، وإلى بكركي التي أعطي لها مجد لبنان، وإلى مُهج ذوينا الصابرين على الضيم والشقاء بإيمان وجلد القديسين، راجين معهم الخلاص مع مجيء إله الفداء سيدنا يسوع المسيح، له المجد سجوداً وإكراماً.

 ننتهزها سانحة لنتضرع إلى طفل المغارة، جاعلين من صُدُرنا مذوداً ليحل فيه، وبصوت عالٍ وخشوع نسأله قائلين:

اجعل صولجان القيادة عندنا قادراً، وتاج الرعاية مشرَّفاً لاستكمال استقلال وطني سيِّد ومُصان أساسه العدل والقانون حجر زاويته والمساواة قاعدته وشرعته الحقوق الدولية والسواعد حماته وأبعد عنا خطايا ولوثات القنوط والإحباط والجبن، وثبت الرجاء بقلوبنا وعقولنا والوجدان.

أشرق على لبناننا وعلى وسع مساحته شمس الحرية. صُنْ أطفاله ببراءتك، وأعضد أيتامه بيمينك، وساعد فقراءه.أطلق السجناء والمعتقلين اعتباطاً من شبابه والجنود والرهبان القابعين في غياهب السجون السورية النازية، وردهم إلى أهلهم ومحبيهم.

ردَّ أهلنا اللاجئين في إسرائيل والمبعدين قسراً وظلماً وعدواناً عن جنوبهم الغالي وعن أهلهم وأرضهم المقدسة المسقية عرقاً ودماءً وتضحيات. ردهم إلى بيوتهم وعيالهم سالمين ومرفوعي الرأس، ومصاني الكرامة والحقوق.

أَعِنْ المقهورين من أهلنا بلطفك، واشف مرضاهم بحنانك، ورد مَن مِنهم ضل الطريق. أُنصُفْ المظلومين والمضطهدين برفقك، وأفرِّج عن المتضايقين برأفتك. دبِّر أهلنا بعطفك، وأدفء الباردين منهم بحرارة إحسانك، وأدفق على فراغهم نعمك والبركات. اجمع شمل أهلنا تحت أفياء ألوهتك ومتِّعهم بضياء وجهك المُسرمد.

نجِنا من كفر وبطش جلاَّدين وقادة وسياسيين ومسؤولين لا رحمة في قلوبهم ولا إشفاق. استبدل الظلام الذي يكتنف نفوس وخواطر ووجدان غالبية الممسكين بقرارنا والمصير بعطايا المحبة والإيمان والرجاء، وأردم فجوة العدم المرعبة في ضمائرهم، وأنر قلوبهم والعقول، ليعملوا بمشيئتك وحسب تعاليمك والشرائع.

أعطينا الشجاعة ليصارح بصدق كل امرءٍ منا ذاته، ويدرك بالعقل والقلب وعن قناعة راسخة وكاملة أنه المسؤول وحده عن وزناته فكراً وعملاً وتعاملاً أمام منبرك عندما يجيء بنا إليك ابنك الوحيد والملائكة يوم الحساب الأخير، حيث إما الفرح اللامتناهي، أو الثواب والعقاب، والبكاء وصريف الأسنان.

اجعل كل منا مولوداً جديدا بروحك القدوس، وقياميًّاً بقوة انتصارك المظفر.

 أحرق فسادنا المُدَنَّس بنار طهرك الرائف، وأغمر موتانا بأنوارك وأسكن أرواحهم فسيح جناتك.

أنشر برحمتك السلام في ربوع لبناننا الحبيب، بلد السلام وفي العالم كله، وأطفئ نارِ الحروب والظلم بمحبتك المقدسة.

ميلاد مجيد وعام سعيد

الكاتب معلق سياسي وناشط لبناني اغترابي
عنوان الكاتب الالكتروني

phoenicia@hotmail.com

تورنتو/كندا في 25 كانون الأول/13

Oppressed Lebanon and the Christmas Spirit

Oppressed Lebanon and the Christmas Spirit
By: Elias Bejjani
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias%20english09/elias.christmas13.htm

December 25/13
Thinking of the great fatherhood love that Almighty God carries for us, we His children, helps in appreciating and understanding the actual meanings of Christmas. God for the sake of our salvation and freedom from the original sin, He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to be incarnated, live on earth like each one of us, endure all kinds of torture, pain, humiliation and  to be crucified. Jesus made us His own and called us to carry His holy message and preach it.

Hand in hand with all those who believe in righteousness and in the ultimate prevalence of good over evil, let us ask Jesus Christ, the incarnated God, to grant peace and stability to the whole world. and to shower all our oppressed Lebanese people with the graces of faith, perseverance, patience, and to bestow them the power of endurance to face the hardships inflicted on them by the Evil of Axis, the Syrian-Iranian occupation.
Despite all the sufferings, our faithful and patriotic people will always hold on to the hope of Lebanon's resurrection and to its eventual  mere liberation from occupation, traitors and all evil. History always repeats itself, and victory shall inevitably be for those Lebanese who courageously and faithfully carry Lebanon's torch of freedom, dignity, and human rights, as has always been for the past 7,000 years.
All wishes to everyone of you, in occupied Lebanon, and in the Diaspora, to enjoy with your beloved ones a holy and glorious Christmas, and a very Happy New year.
Our great happiness as patriotic Lebanese will reach its prime when, and only when, our beloved Lebanon, home and land of our great fathers and ancestors reclaims its confiscated independence, redeems its marginalized sovereignty, restores its oppressed freedoms, and regains its hijacked free decision-making process.

Our joy and happiness in celebrating Christmas will be at peak the day:

When hundreds of our country's arbitrarily held detainees are released from the fascist Syrian jails and horrible detention centers, where they have been deprived for more then 30 years of all their basic human rights.

When our free and patriotic comrades, individuals, leaders and dignitaries are no longer prisoners of conscience inside Lebanon, and not exposed to intimidation, fear, terrorism and assassinations

When our exiled people from South Lebanon who are taking refugee in Israel are welcomed back in Lebanon, officially and publicly with open arms.

When Lebanon's fertile fields are again green, ploughed, sowed, guarded and harvested by our men and women.

When our factories are re-opened, productive, and run only by Lebanese hands.

When our borders are patrolled solely by the Lebanese army and security forces,
When all militias, Lebanese and non-Lebanese, are disarmed and dismantled,
When the law of the land and the legitimate authority of a sovereign Lebanese people are fully and independently applied and enforced on all Lebanon's soil.

When conscientious and patriotic Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected freely by the people who deserve MPs who, in turn, understand that they have the obligation and the privilege to represent the people's hopes, aspirations and wishes.

When Lebanon's markets are open for the country's products with no foreign hegemony or unfair and arbitrary competition.

When Lebanon's judiciary is fair, unbiased and non-politicized, and when the judiciary and judges fully respect the constitution and abide by the law of the land and the Charter of Human Rights.

When Lebanese identity is honored and hailed by all the Lebanese communities, and is placed above all other political, regional, ethnic and religious affiliations.

Then, and only then, we can rest our case for the struggle.
Let us all pray that the birth of Our Lord Jesus will coincide this year with the re-birth of a new Lebanon that is free, independent and sovereign.

By God's will, all the Lebanese will be able next year to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in a liberated Lebanon that is run by the Lebanese and only by them.

Best wishes for our people for A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year.

Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Face Book https://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Twitter Elias Bejjani@phoeniciaelias

مقالة الياس بجاني الميلادية
ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية/الياس بجاني/25 كانون الأول/13
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias%20arabic11/elias%2025.12.13.htm
بالصوت/ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية/الياس بجاني/25 كانون الأول/13
http://www.clhrf.com/elias.editorials13/elias.christmas.13.wma
مقدمة/مع الاحتفال بذكرى ولادة المخلص، وإطلالة السنة الجديدة، نتقدم من الجميع بأحر التهاني والتبريكات، طالبين من المولود الإلهي الفرج والسلام والطمأنينة لوطننا الأم لبنان، وعطايا الثبات والرجاء والإيمان للصامدين فيه من أهلنا بوجه الظلم، والهداية للمرتدين منهم والشاردين، والبصيرة للمُغرر بهم، والتوبة للإسخريوتيين، وصحوة الضمير لحاملي مباخر التبجيل والذمية والتقية والنفاق. مع الذكرى المقدسة تمثِّلنا الكلمة الحرة الموضوعية الصارخة، الكلمة التي كانت في البدء، والتي هي الله، والتي صارت بشراً فسكنت بيننا ورأينا مجدها، فهي تنوب عنا بمفهومها الإنجيلي مُحلِقةً في الأثير، راحلةً لتدق أبواب وقلوب الأهل في وطن الأرز، وبلاد الانتشار حيث رفاق غربتنا والحنين، معايدينهم بها وعبرها، راغبين لهم جميعاً في ميلاد مجيد وعام سعيد تكللهما بركات ونِعم السماء. ثم نسأل الطفل الإله دفق المسرات عليهم وإغداق أنداء السلام والوئام والمحبة والاطمئنان.

   

Release by: Elias Bejjani: The Utmost Need for Eradication of Global Terrorism

Release by: Elias Bejjani: The Utmost Need for Eradication of Global Terrorism
Elias Bejjani
September 23/13

http://www.10452lccc.com/elias%20english09/elias.kenya.pakistan23.9.13.htm
John 12:24: "Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit."
We, Strongly condemn the hatred and violence behind a twin horrible and savage suicide bombing at a church in northwest Pakistan that left on Sunday over 80 people dead and many others injured mostly children and women in what is believed to be the country's deadliest attack on Christians.
This oppressive and terrorist path is not the right one because it leads nowhere, and clearly shows that the Pakistani Government has failed to safeguard its own Christian citizens that make 3% of its population.
We call on the Pakistani authorities to bring those who are responsible for this horrible crime to justice and to protect those who seek to worship in peace, free from fear and intimidation.
It is worth mentioning that all minorities in Pakistan including the Christians are unjustly treated as second class citizens and deprived from most of their basic human rights.
Meanwhile we also condemn the terrorist and cowardice assault that hit yesterday a mall in Nairobi/Kenya killing and injuring many innocent individuals including two Canadian citizens. We believe that this senseless act of violence is a mere terrorism act that needs to be dealt with accordingly.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of all the victims in both attacks.
On behalf of all those in our Canadian-Lebanese community who share our LCCC (Lebanese Canadian Coordination Council) peace mission, aims and goals, we send our thoughts and prayers to those affected by yesterday's heinous violence in Pakistan and Kenya and wish the injured quick recovery.

Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/

Background

Suicide bombers attack church in northwest Pakistan, kill 78 people
By Riaz Khan And Sebastian Abbot, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press – PESHAWAR, Pakistan - A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up amid hundreds of worshippers at a historic church in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing 78 people in the deadliest-ever attack against the country's Christian minority. A wing of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, raising new questions about the government's push to strike a peace deal with the militants to end a decade-long insurgency that has killed thousands of people. The Jundullah arm of the Taliban said they would continue to target non-Muslims until the United States stopped drone attacks in Pakistan's remote tribal region. The latest drone strike came Sunday, when missiles hit a pair of compounds in the North Waziristan tribal area, killing six suspected militants.
The attack on the All Saints Church, which wounded 141 people, occurred as worshippers were leaving after services to get a free meal of rice offered on the front lawn, said a top government administrator, Sahibzada Anees.
"There were blasts and there was hell for all of us," said Nazir John, who was at the church in the city's Kohati Gate district along with at least 400 other worshippers. "When I got my senses back, I found nothing but smoke, dust, blood and screaming people. I saw severed body parts and blood all around." Survivors wailed and hugged one another in the wake of the blasts. The white walls of the church, which first opened in the late 1800s, were pockmarked with holes caused by ball bearings contained in the bombs to cause maximum damage. Blood stained the floor and the walls. Plates filled with rice were scattered across the ground.
The attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who detonated their explosives almost simultaneously, said police officer Shafqat Malik. The 78 dead included 34 women and seven children, said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Another 37 children were among the 141 wounded, he said.The number of casualties from the blasts was so high that the hospital ran short of caskets for the dead and beds for the wounded, said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, a former information minister of surrounding Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province who was on the scene. "This is the deadliest attack against Christians in our country," said Irfan Jamil, the bishop of the eastern city of Lahore. Pope Francis led several thousand people in a prayer for the victims while on a visit to Sardinia. Those who carried out the attack, he said, "took the wrong choice, one of hatred and war."
One of the wounded, John Tariq, who lost his father in the attack, demanded of those behind the bombing: "What have we done wrong to these people? Why are we being killed?" Ahmad Marwat, who identified himself as the spokesman for the Jundullah wing of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. "All non-Muslims in Pakistan are our target, and they will remain our target as long as America fails to stop drone strikes in our country," Marwat told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.
Jundullah has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on minority Shiite Muslims in southwestern Baluchistan province. Hard-line Sunni extremists like the Taliban consider Shiites to be heretics.
The bishop in Peshawar, Sarfarz Hemphray, announced a three-day mourning period and blamed the government and security agencies for failing to protect the country's Christians.
"If the government shows will, it can control this terrorism," said Hemphray. "We have been asking authorities to enhance security, but they haven't paid any heed."
Hundreds of Christians burned tires in the street in the southern city of Karachi to protest the bombing. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement sent to reporters, saying, "The terrorists have no religion and targeting innocent people is against the teachings of Islam and all religions." "Such cruel acts of terrorism reflect the brutality and inhumane mindset of the terrorists," he said.
Islamic militants have carried out dozens of attacks across the country since Sharif took office in June, even though he has made clear that he believes a peace deal with the Pakistani Taliban is the best way to tamp down violence in the country. Pakistan's major political parties endorsed Sharif's call for negotiations earlier this month. But the Taliban have said the government must release militant prisoners and begin pulling troops out of the northwest tribal region that serves as their sanctuary before they will begin talks. There are many critics of peace talks who point out that past deals with the Taliban have fallen apart and simply given the militants time to regroup.
"I don't think appeasement will work," said Farhatullah Babar, a senior leader of the main opposition group, the Pakistan People's Party. "This is a message from them that they don't believe in negotiations. If they don't, we should also stand up and fight them." Supporters of negotiations say they are the only way forward since military operations against the Taliban in the tribal region have failed to subdue them.
Sharif defended the government's decision to push for peace talks but acknowledged the effort didn't seem to be working. "It was not a bad thing, I think, to do a good job with a good intention," Sharif told reporters outside the Pakistan High Commission in London. "But the regret is that the thinking, the desire the government had, is not capable to make progress."The U.S. has repeatedly demanded that Pakistan take stronger action against Islamic militants, especially members of the Afghan Taliban who use the country as a base for cross-border attacks on American troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. has carried out several hundred drone attacks against Taliban militants and their allies in Pakistan's tribal region. The strike on Sunday took place in the Shawal area of North Waziristan, the main sanctuary for militants in the country, said Pakistani intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.Pakistani officials regularly decry drone attacks as a violation of the country's sovereignty, but the government is known to have secretly supported some of the strikes in the past, especially ones that have targeted Pakistani Taliban militants at war with the state. The Pakistani and Afghan Taliban are allies, but have focused their fight on opposite sides of the border.
Abbot reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Zarar Khan and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, Rasool Dawar in Peshawar and Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan contributed to this report.


Kenyan forces rescue ‘most’ hostages

 September 23, 2013/Agencies
NAIROBI: Kenya’s military said late Sunday it had rescued “most” of the remaining hostages held by Al-Qaeda-linked militants in an upscale Nairobi mall after launching a major operation to end a two-day standoff that had already killed 68 people.
The assault, which began shortly before sundown, came as two helicopters circled the mall, with one skimming very close to the roof. A loud explosion rang out, far larger than any previous grenade blast or gunfire volley.
Kenyan police said on Twitter that a “MAJOR” assault by security forces was ongoing to end the two-day siege.
“This will end tonight. Our forces will prevail. Kenyans are standing firm against aggression, and we will win,” Kenya’s Disaster Operations Center said on Twitter.Kenya Defense Forces later said it had rescued most hostages and had taken control of most of the mall. Officials did not immediately release the number of hostages rescued or the number that remained. Four Kenyan military personnel were wounded in the operation, the military said.The assault came about 30 hours after 10 to 15 Al-Shabab extremists stormed the mall Saturday from two sides, throwing grenades and firing on civilians.
Loud exchanges of gunfire emanated from inside the four-story upscale mall throughout Sunday. Kenyan troops were seen carrying in at least two rocket propelled grenades.
Al-Shabab militants reacted angrily to the helicopters on Twitter and warned that the Kenyan military action was endangering hostages.
Kenyan officials said they would do their utmost to save hostages’ lives, but no officials could say how many hostages were inside. Kenya’s Red Cross said in a statement citing police that 49 people had been reported missing.
Kenya’s Red Cross said the death toll Sunday rose to 68 after nine bodies were recovered in a joint rescue mission.
A United States State Department spokeswoman condemned the “despicable massacre of innocent men, women and children.” U.S. law enforcement, military and civilian personnel in Nairobi were providing assistance as requested by Kenya, spokeswoman Marie Harf said.
Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, Al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the attack that specifically targeted non-Muslims. The attackers included some women. The Islamist extremist rebels said the attack was retribution for Kenyan forces’ 2011 push into neighboring Somalia.
Al-Shabab said on its new Twitter feed – after its previous one was shut down Saturday – that Kenyan officials were asking the hostage-takers to negotiate and offering incentives.
“We’ll not negotiate with the Kenyan govt as long as its forces are invading our country, so reap the bitter fruits of your harvest,” Al-Shabab said in a tweet.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta reiterated his government’s determination to continue fighting Al-Shabab.
“We went as a nation into Somalia to help stabilize the country and most importantly to fight terror that had been unleashed on Kenya and the world,” Kenyatta said. “We shall not relent on the war on terror.”
He said although this violent attack had succeeded, the Kenyan security forces had “neutralized” many others. Earlier in the day Kenyatta said he his nephew and his nephew’s fiancee were killed in the attack.
Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga told reporters at the mall that “quite a number” of people were being held hostage in two locations of the mall, which includes stores for Nike, Adidas and Bose. Many hostages were believed to be in a grocery and general department store called Nakumatt. Kenyan security officials sought to reassure the families of hostages but implied that hostages could be killed. The security operation is “delicate” because Kenyan forces hoped to ensure the hostages are evacuated safely, said Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Lenku.
“The priority is to save as many lives as possible,” Lenku said, adding that more than 1,000 people escaped the attack inside the mall on Saturday.
“We have received a lot of messages from friendly countries, but for now it remains our operation,” Lenku said.
More than 175 people were injured in the attack, Lenku said, including many children. Kenyan forces were by Sunday in control of the mall’s security cameras, he said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, confirming three Britons were dead, said: “We should prepare ourselves for further bad news.”
U.S. President Barack Obama called Kenyatta to offer condolences and support.
Westgate Mall is at least partially owned by Israelis, and reports circulated that Israeli commandos were on the ground to assist in the response. Four restaurants inside the mall are Israeli-run or owned.
In Israel, a senior defense official said there were no Israeli forces participating in an assault. But an Israeli security source told

Topple Syria Hitler, Save the Syrian People

By: Elias Bejjani

Proverbs 03/27-28: "Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you".

It is true that Cancer is a fatal disease that kills people, But in reality and actuality what is more fatal and more dangerous than Cancer is stupidity. While cancer kills the body, stupidity kills the intelligence of people, blinds their discretion, and makes them mere corpses breathing and walking with soul or heart. Meanwhile science might hopefully will find a cure for cancer, but no one can cure stupidity or even thing of finding a remedy for this evil ailment.

Sadly most of the politicians, officials and clergymen in Lebanon, Syrian and in many Arab countries are stupid and detached from reality because they do not respect the intelligence of their people, do not care about their safety, dignity or future and viciously try to fill up their heads with false victories, imaginary military powers, education hostility, isolation  fanaticism and hatred.

Wrong, Wrong, we loudly say to all those in the Western countries who are deceived by the vicious misleading propaganda that al-Assad is venomously spreading all over. In reality al-Assad is not a minority protector at all. He is a butcher, a criminal and a little Hitler. The Christians in Syria as well as all other minorities are treated badly, deprived of all their basic human rights, and taken hostages like the rest of the Syrian people. Human rights are not honored in Syria under the al-Assad dictatorship.

Christians as well as other minorities in Syria are all enslaved, oppressed, taken hostage and deprived of any actual political role, freedom and democracy. In this brutal and enslaving context, the Christian church leaders as well as other high ranking religious clergymen are picked up by al-Assad intelligence and even sermons in every church are in general dictated by them.

Considering the Christians in Lebanon, the Ottoman Turks did not harm us as much in the 430 years of their wicked and savage occupation of our country compared with what the al-Assad regime did and is still doing. It is all propaganda, lies and fabrications that the al-Assad regime is protecting the Lebanese Christians.
The Syrian regime is not only oppressing and murdering its own people, destabilizing neighboring countries, especially Lebanon, but it is the main obstacle for peace in the Middle East between the Arab world and Israel.

The al-Assad regime is behind all local, regional and international terrorists, fundamentalists, and Salafists. Ninety-nine percent of all these groups were hatched by Syrian intelligence. Meanwhile, even many of the Al Qaeda sub groups were founded, financed, armed and used by the al-Assad regime.

In summary, this regime is even worse than Hitler’s regime in Nazi Germany. I believe strongly that the Western Free World and Arab countries have moral, humanitarian and ethical obligations to topple this regime as soon as possible and by necessary force.

Hitler tried to occupy the whole world and his brutal wars were forced on Europe and the USA. The same evil scenario applies to Syria and Iran which are working hard to spread havoc, destabilize peace worldwide and to possess a nuclear weapon (Iran is almost there) to attack other countries, including Israel and the Arabian Gulf countries. The magnitude of the serious threat is the same. There is no difference between Hitler and the Axis of Evil (Syria, Iran and Hezbollah).

If the concept of not assisting oppressed people in other countries was applied, Hitler would now have been ruling the whole world and slavery would not have been defeated. It is an obligation to help oppressed people and to put an end to regimes like that of Hitler and little Hitler, al-Assad. Meanwhile, many terrorist groups that wage attacks against Western communities were founded by al-Assad regime.

In conclusion, if we in the Free World countries abstain from stopping rulers like al-Assad they will attack us similar to the horrific crime of the 11th of September that hit the USA. There is no choice, either we wait till they attack us or we take action and stop them before.

People in Western countries who don’t know enough about the Middle East in particular ought to avoid taking stances and judgments on the Middle East countries’ internal crisis, oppression, poverty, revolutions etc., in accordance to Western standards and Western mentality and code of ethics.


Religiously, legally and ethically, those who commit crimes and idle observers are full partners with those criminals. We are not calling for wanton invasions of other countries, but the necessity of toppling evil regimes like that of al-Assad and preventing its forces from attacking and killing its own people and from spreading terrorism in other countries.

*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/

Al-Assad is a Butcher and not a Protector of Minorities

By: Elias Bejjani

Wrong, Wrong, we loudly say to all those in the Western countries who are deceived by the vicious misleading propaganda that al-Assad is venomously spreading all over. In reality al-Assad is not a minority protector at all. He is a butcher, a criminal and a little Hitler. The Christians in Syria as well as all other minorities are treated badly, deprived of all their basic human rights, and taken hostages like the rest of the Syrian people. Human rights are not honored in Syria under the al-Assad dictatorship.
Christians as well as other minorities in Syria are all enslaved, oppressed, taken hostage and deprived of any actual political role, freedom and democracy. In this brutal and enslaving context, the Christian church leaders as well as other high ranking religious clergymen are picked up by al-Assad intelligence and even sermons in every church are in general dictated by them.

Considering the Christians in Lebanon, the Ottoman Turks did not harm us as much in the 430 years of their wicked and savage occupation of our country compared with what the al-Assad regime did and is still doing. It is all propaganda, lies and fabrications that the al-Assad regime is protecting the Lebanese Christians.
The Syrian regime is not only oppressing and murdering its own people, destabilizing neighboring countries, especially Lebanon, but it is the main obstacle for peace in the Middle East between the Arab world and Israel.
The al-Assad regime is behind all local, regional and international terrorists, fundamentalists, and Salafists. Ninety-nine percent of all these groups were hatched by Syrian intelligence. Meanwhile, even many of the Al Qaeda sub groups were founded, financed, armed and used by the al-Assad regime.
In summary, this regime is even worse than Hitler’s regime in Nazi Germany. I believe strongly that the Western Free World and Arab countries have moral, humanitarian and ethical obligations to topple this regime as soon as possible and by necessary force.

Hitler tried to occupy the whole world and his brutal wars were forced on Europe and the USA. The same evil scenario applies to Syria and Iran which are working hard to spread havoc, destabilize peace worldwide and to possess a nuclear weapon (Iran is almost there) to attack other countries, including Israel and the Arabian Gulf countries. The magnitude of the serious threat is the same. There is no difference between Hitler and the Axis of Evil (Syria, Iran and Hezbollah).

If the concept of not assisting oppressed people in other countries was applied, Hitler would now have been ruling the whole world and slavery would not have been defeated. It is an obligation to help oppressed people and to put an end to regimes like that of Hitler and little Hitler, al-Assad. Meanwhile, many terrorist groups that wage attacks against Western communities were founded by al-Assad regime.

In conclusion, if we in the Free World countries abstain from stopping rulers like al-Assad they will attack us similar to the horrific crime of the 11th of September that hit the USA. There is no choice, either we wait till they attack us or we take action and stop them before.

People in Western countries who don’t know enough about the Middle East in particular ought to avoid taking stances and judgments on the Middle East countries’ internal crisis, oppression, poverty, revolutions etc., in accordance to Western standards and Western mentality and code of ethics.


Religiously, legally and ethically, those who commit crimes and idle observers are full partners with those criminals. We are not calling for wanton invasions of other countries, but the necessity of toppling evil regimes like that of al-Assad and preventing its forces from attacking and killing its own people and from spreading terrorism in other countries.

*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/

Sheik Bachir's 31 Presidential Election Anniversary

By: Elias Bejjani
August 23/13
John13/15: "The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them".
Lebanon and its free patriotic citizens, all over the world will remember today 23/13 with pride, honour and pain  Sheik Bachir's 31 presidential Election anniversary . The "Dream" leader Sheik Bachir Gemayel was elected president for Lebanon on 23 August/1982.
Sadly Sheik Bachir was assassinated by Syrian agents before he was able to assume his presidential responsibilities because these stone age terrorists feared his honesty, nationalism, devotion, determination, courage and strong will.
Sheik Bachir who successfully led the Lebanese Christian resistance against the PLO and the Arab dictatorships, fanatic regimes and their terrorist organizations is seen as a unique national and patriotic hero in many Lebanese eyes. He is still considered to be a remarkable leader that they love, adore and cherish. God bless his soul.
Sheik Bachir was extremely faithful, devoted to Lebanon's cause of freedom, committed to the Lebanese rights and dignity, never compromised on his solid and transparent national stances or cajoled or appeased on the account of his Lebanese holy cause.
With strong self confidence, self respect, dignity and fear of Almighty God he continuously witnessed for the truth no matter what and openly and loudly uttered what must be said. He loved both his people and his country and accepted with no fear or hesitation to be a sacrifice on their alter.
Thirty years after his departure his dream, vision, and leadership role model are still vivid and alive in the souls hears and minds of many Lebanese in Lebanon and all over the world.
The Syrian Bathist assassins who are now killing and murdering their own people, were able to kill his body, but definitely failed to kill his dream in a sovereign, free and independent Lebanon.
Thirty years passed and the free Lebanese still strongly believe in Bachir's dream and are struggling with courage and faith to make it happen and become a reality. By God's will and blessings they will achieve this goal no matter what the sacrifices will be.
Sadly the majority of the current corrupted and deviated Lebanese officials, religious and political leaders are dead in the eyes of the many free Lebanese, while in reality these leaders are still alive and breathing.
Meanwhile Bachir who was assassinated 3o years ago is still alive in the hearts and minds of many patriotic Lebanese.
Those criminals and terrorists who killed Bachir, killed only his ash body, but failed to kill his dream or his the deeply rooted love in the hearts of the Lebanese
Every Free and Patriotic Lebanese is Bachir, and that's why Bachir is still alive as well as his dream.
Long Live Freedom

*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/

Problems get bigger when you do not face them

Elias Bejjani

How true and wise is our Lebanese proverb that says: "If you close your eyes in a bid not to see the mountain, this does not change the fact that the mountain is there and will remain in its place no matter what you do, think or say".

In real life problems of all sorts and magnitudes are a reality that we have to face and deal with. One can either stand tall to face problems, and practically utilize all available capabilities and resources to solve or contain them, or  he can step back, retreat, close his eyes and pretend they do not exist.

Meanwhile it is a proven fact that brushing problems under the carpet rather than dealing with them is a wrong and disastrous approach that definitely  leads no where and always ends in making these problems bigger and worse. In life  we are forced to learn many survival strategies among which are strategies needed to deal with problems.

Wisdom and intelligence require that no one should avoid, ignore, or underestimate any problem.

Problems that can not be solved must at least be contained and not made a source for new problems. In this context clear crystal stances are very important tools for success as well as transparency, decency, modesty, self-confidence, hope and faith.

Faith wise, problems will happen, but wow to those evil individuals who instigate and cause them in a bid to harm others and inflict pain and misery on the innocent, poor and meek. Almighty God never abandon any individual, but also punishes those who do not fear Him in what they do and think.

"Our enemies are doomed! They have robbed and betrayed, although no one has robbed them or betrayed them. But their time to rob and betray will end, and they themselves will become victims of robbery and treachery".  (Isaiah 33 /01-02)


*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
*Face Book address http://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani

You Can't Love Lebanon and at the same time side with its enemy, The Axis Of Evil

By: Elias Bejjani
 We call on those who falsely allege to love their country Lebanon, no matter to what religion or denomination they are affiliated to. We call on them to be honest with themselves and fear Almighty God in their acts, rhetoric, stances and affiliations.

 They deceive themselves and no body else when rhetorically they brag to love their country Lebanon, and at the same time side with its enemies, the Axis Of Evil countries and organizations who are determined to destroy it and erect on its ruins a religious dictatorship, a replicate of that imposed by force and terrorism on the Iranian people.

 How could they love their country, Lebanon, when they are partners with Hezbollah that is merely an Iranian terrorist armed militia? In reality and actuality they are as guilty as Hezbollah is, and accountable even more than Hezbollah.

 Hezbollah is deeply involved in numerous criminal organized acts against all the Lebanese people, e.g., killing, assassination, corruption, intimidation, drug trafficking, money laundering, smuggling, forging, stealing, and embezzlement etc. Hezbollah is a cancerous evil entity that is infiltrating and devouring viciously all Lebanon's communities and institutions on all Levels.

 Hezbollah is not Lebanese or Arabic, but a mere Iranian armed brigade that occupies Lebanon by force and holds the Lebanese people hostages. Hezbollah knows nothing about all the tags of liberation, resistance, and obstruction that it falsely and evilly advocates for.

 Those Lebanese who are blindly siding with Hezbollah against their own people and country are ought to wake up and learn that they are committing suicide and destroying their country. Those Lebanese must remember that they can't adopt two contradicting stances at the same time; They can't be with Lebanon and at the same time with its enemies.

 We strongly suggest they read wisely and thoroughly what Saint Paul said to the Corinthians who were in the same position that they are in: "You cannot drink from the Lord's cup and also from the cup of demons; you cannot eat at the Lord's table and also at the table of demons. Or do we want to make the Lord jealous? Do we think that we are stronger than he?"(01 Corinthians 10/14-22)

 *Elias Bejjani *Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
 *Email phoenicia@hotmail.com *Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
 *Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
*Face Book address http://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani

Lebanon's politicians, clergymen and parties do not resemble us in any way

Lebanon's politicians, clergymen and parties do not resemble us in any way
By: Elias Bejjani

There is no hope what so ever in the majority of the current Lebanese Christian parties, leaders, clergymen and officials in particular, and likewise in their counterparts from other denominations in general.

If we exclude what is called the 8th of March Coalition which is a mere punch of Axis of Evil Syrian and Iranian mercenaries, the Majority of the rest are mere narcissists, have no mercy, know no love, serve their own individual interests and those of their families.

No self-respect, no clear patriotic or ethical stances, chameleons and a horde of puppets and subservient creatures. 

They live in their own world of fantasies and worship money, while totally detached from the Lebanese peoples' pains, poverty, hardships hopes, ambitions and every day problems. 

Lebanon and the Lebanese deserves a kind of better quality politicians and parties that are genuine Lebanese in heart, mind and soul. 

In conclusion the evil and fake fights that they are at the present time waging against each other in regards to the formation of a new Government and for parliamentary sessions' agendas and legitimacy all aim to merely preserve their own interests and not that of the Lebanese people or Lebanon.

Accordingly we strongly believe that no one Lebanese should pay any attention for this notorious and evil fake rhetoric wars. Let them play and act alone. 

We the Lebanese people are required to produce leaders who resemble us, not like those who are confiscating our rights and misrepresenting us.

Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1

God Bless The Souls Of the Lebanese Army And Civilian Innocent Martyrs

By: Elias Bejjani
My Almighty God bless the Souls of our beloved Lebanese Army martyrs, soldiers and officers who were killed yesterday and today in the Southern Sidon City while bravely fighting terrorists, radical Salafists, fanatics and enemies of Lebanon and its peace loving people.

We ask Almighty God, our loving Father, to abundantly grant their bereaved families all graces of patience, hope, faith and endurance.

We also offer our sincere and heartily felt condolences to all of those innocent civilians who lost a family member, a relative or a friend in the ongoing Sidon military confrontation.

We strongly support the country's army legitimate role, and sturdily believe that the honoring of the martyrdom of all the heroic army and civilian innocent martyrs should lie in the Lebanese peoples' solid national, patriotic, and ethical obligations towards safeguarding Lebanon's freedom, independence, sovereignty, peace, co-existence, common living and democracy.

Meanwhile, All sovereign Lebanese people, in both Lebanon and Diaspora are patriotically and ethically required to stand tall as their Lebanon's holy cedars in the face of the terrorist Hezbollah and all the Axis of Evil groups, countries and individuals who are occupying Lebanon and by force and terrorism trying to topple its democracy, common living, civilization, peace and freedoms.

We call on the UN, Arab League and all the Free world countries to help Lebanon and its sovereign people in a bid to free their country from the bloody expansionism schemes, terrorism, oppression and occupation of the Iranian-Syrian, Hezbollah Axis Of Evil

Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1



BACKGROUND
Army moves to crush Assir, secure Sidon
June 24, 2013/By Mohammed Zaatari, Thomas El Basha/The Daily Star
BRA, Lebanon: The Lebanese Army pushed for a decisive conclusion to the threat posed by the radical Salafist preacher Ahmad al-Assir, after at least 10 soldiers and two gunmen loyal to the anti-Hezbollah sheikh were killed Sunday in clashes in a suburb of the southern city of Sidon, security sources said. Security sources said Assir refused to depart from his security perimeter in Abra without his supporters and the Army was wary of civilian casualties as the suburb is a residential area. However, the sources said the Army would not succumb until two key demands are met. “The Army is very clear it wants all those who attacked the military post [earlier Sunday] arrested and demands that Assir’s Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Abra be transferred to the Directorate of Islamic Endowments,” one source said. “If these two demands are not met the Army will not put an end to its operation against Assir and his forces.”Thirty-eight soldiers were wounded in the fighting that erupted after 2 p.m. and continued throughout the night, while two Assir supporters were killed in the clashes and at least 13 were reported wounded in the fiercest fighting yet between the military and the Salafist preacher. The Army also came under fire from the Taamir area of Ain al-Hilweh. Residents of Abra and Taamir appealed to the Army to evacuate them from the areas of conflict.

A group of preachers headed by Salafist Sheikh Salem al-Rafei headed to Sidon to mediate a deal that would put an end to the clashes. The preachers visited the Army barracks in the city to discuss sending an envoy to Assir to broker an exit deal for him and his fighters. The sources said the fighting started when a military post, located on the road to Abra – not far from the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque where Assir preaches – was attacked after the relative of a supporter of the preacher was arrested. The initial attack claimed the lives of three soldiers. The Army retaliated against Assir’s supporters, who had taken refuge within the sheikh’s security perimeter around the mosque and the nearby residential buildings, as well as behind barricades that had been set up days before the attack.

The sources said Assir’s fighters relied heavily on RPGs in the clashes that ensued. One armored personnel carrier was set ablaze after receiving a direct RPG hit, they said. A soldier was seen emerging in flames from the Army car. Medical personnel were able to eventually evacuate the Army soldiers under a hail of bullets. Smoke billowed over the neighborhood and at least one building caught fire. The National News Agency reported that residents of Abra fled the violence into Sidon and eastern villages in the vicinity. Several Hezbollah fighters – approximately 100 – were seen on rooftops overlooking Abra and in the vicinity of the Hariri family’s residence in Majdalyoun.

Sidon’s coastal highway, which links Beirut to the rest of the south, was also closed, stranding thousands of motorists, but was later reopened by the Army.

By late afternoon, rockets were falling in the vicinity of the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, the scene of a deadly clash last week between Assir’s supporters and members of the Resistance Brigades, a pro-Hezbollah group. The Army had deployed heavily to end that round of fighting, setting up outposts around Abra. The sources said that around 5:30 p.m. the Army managed to secure the vicinity around the mosque.

The Army called the attack a “betrayal” perpetrated “not with the bullets of the enemy but the bullets of a Lebanese group from the heart of the city of Sidon, which is dear to the Army.”

In a powerful condemnation of the “premeditated, cold-blooded” attack, the Army statement likened the murder of the soldiers to the outbreak of violence in Sidon in 1975, in the early days of the Lebanese Civil War.

The military said Sidon’s political leadership faced the choice of either standing by the Army or with “promoters of strife and soldier killers.” “The leadership of the Army will not stay silent ... it will continue its mission to break the strife in Sidon and other regions, and will strike with an iron fist all who dare to shed the blood of the Army,” the statement said. In a video posted on YouTube Sunday, the fiery preacher Assir urged members of the military to desert. “To all our partisans, we are being attacked by the Lebanese Army, which is Iranian and Shiite,” Assir said in the video. He said the Army belonged to the “shabbiha [thugs]” of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and his ally, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Amal Movement.

“I call on all partisans to block roads and all honorable Sunni and non-Sunni [soldiers] to quit the Army,” added Assir, who appeared in black pants and a black T-shirt with an assault rifle at his side.

In a statement later in the day, Assir blamed the Lebanese Army for instigating the violence. He said the Army, which had set up a barricade in a “provocative manner” in his mosque’s vicinity, beat up and insulted two of his supporters. When other supporters sought clarification, the Army opened fire on them, he said. The statement said the attack coincided with fire from what it alleged were Hezbollah-controlled apartments around the mosque that were stocked with weapons, “a step that proves coordination” between the Army and Hezbollah.

The gunfire was followed by attacks with RPGs against the mosque and the surrounding residential buildings, which caused numerous injuries among women, children and civilians, the Assir statement said, adding that rockets were being fired from the Mar Elias district in Sidon, which is controlled by Hezbollah. Speaking by telephone with The Daily Star, Tarek al-Sousi, a resident living at the heart of the battle, called on the president, prime minister and Army to “put an end to this tragedy because our building is burning and there are armed men firing at the Army.” Hajja Heyam, who was fleeing the violence, said she had seen a number of Assir supporters bleeding next to burning cars. “I survived by a miracle,” she said.Area residents were unable to use mobile phones as lines became overloaded. The fighting hit the Zahrani-Aramoun power plant, disrupting the electricity network and plunging the entire country into darkness. President Michel Sleiman called for a meeting including ministers and security officials to address the violence. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri issued a statement warning “against any attempt to lure Sidon into a confrontation with the Lebanese Army.”Hariri blamed Hezbollah for provoking Sidon’s citizens and for maintaining security outposts in the city, but said that such actions “should not be a pretext to break the law or to use weapons against the posts of the Lebanese Army or any other legitimate security forces.” Rival road closures in support of the Army and Assir took place in Baalbek, Sidon and Tripoli, with the Army working to reopen the roads.

Father's Day: Gratitude Vs Ingratitude

By: Elias Bejjani*

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!" (Lydia M. Child, U.S. Author)
Hopefully, all men will have the blessed grace of being fathers. Being a father is a heavenly endowment, a great satisfaction, and a fulfilling Godly obligation as the Holy Bible teaches us: "Genesis 1:28 "God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it."
Almighty God has blessed both parents, fathers and mothers and recommended that they be honored, respected, cared for, and obeyed by their children. God's fifth commandment delineates this heavenly obligation and duty: ""Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you." (Exodus 20:12 )
God is our Holy Father, and we all, men and women, are His beloved children. Fathers on Earth are God's servants who are entrusted by Him to safeguard, raise, embrace, support, provide and teach their children. Meanwhile fathers are required to carry their holy duties in raising their children in the fear of God, with the best of their knowledge, all their resource and means, full devotion and with all required sacrifices.

Fathers are the cornerstone of their families upon which children depend, learn, nurture, hold fast and shape their lives. Caring, devoted and righteous fathers are always given a hand by God and blessed for their rearing and erection of boundaries.
Today we are celebrating "Fathers' Day", with all those who cherish fathers, appreciate their sacrifices and honor their Godly role. Best wishes to all fathers hoping they will be shown today all the due gratitude from their sons and daughters. On this very special day our deceased fathers' and mothers' spirits are roaming around sharing with us our joy and happiness, God bless their souls.
Attitudes of gratitude or ingratitude towards fathers on Fathers' Day, are very sensitive issues that affect and touch the hearts and minds of many people. These two contradicting attitudes exhibit how much a person is either appreciative or ungrateful.
The majority of people hold on dear to their fathers and do all that they can to always show them their great and deeply felt gratitude, while sadly there are those odd ones out who show no gratitude, abandon them and even at times endeavour to ruin their lives and inflict harm and pain on them.
By doing so and negating God's commandments that stress an utmost respect for parents, these people make themselves enemies of Christ Himself. Definitely God will be angry about such condemned conduct. This deviation from all human norms occur because of ignorance, selfishness, lack of faith and hope. These people fall into temptation, become proud of what they should be ashamed of, worship things that belong to this world and forget all about "Judgment Day".

Colossians 3/20: "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord".

Leviticus 20:9: "For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him"

Fathers no matter what must be loved, honored, dignified and respected. God Himself is a Father and He will not bless those who deny their fathers' heavenly right of fatherhood and respect. In this context, Billy Graham says: "A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society." The Holy Bible in tens of its verses warns and puts on notice all those with callous hearts and numbed conscience who show no gratitude to their fathers and break their hearts.
Isaiah 46:4: "Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save."
Even when fathers are abandoned by their children and denied their heavenly rights, they never ever hold any grudges, feelings of hatred or hostility against them. No matter what, fathers always wish their children health, prosperity and success. One of our Lebanese deeply rooted sayings portray how fathers constantly feel towards their ungrateful children: " My heart beats for my son no matter what, while my son's heart is callous like a rock"
Many verses in the Holy Bible overtly call on the children to treat their parents with love, endurance, affection and utmost care. At the same time the Bible instructs parents to value the Godly delegation to them to raise their children with all means of righteous, protection and provision.
Proverbs 23/22: "Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old".

Ephesians 06/01-02: "Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. Respect your father and mother is the first commandment that has a promise added: so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land".

Many grown-up men and women do not appreciate their parents' sacrifices unless they themselves have become parents. Back home in Lebanon where the family has always been sacred, we have a saying that shows how important it is in the eyes of the God that parents are always to be respected, honored and loved. "God will not bless or facilitate the life of those who mistreat their parents and He will reply to the parents' wrath when they ask for punishment for their ungrateful children".

Good, loving , faithful and God-fearing fathers know no hatred, grudges or despair. They remain, always, hopeful and keep on praying to Almighty God that their children, (grateful or ungrateful ) are constantly healthy, prosperous, happy, and successful .

Philippians 04/04-07: "May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice! Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.".

Happy Fathers' Day to all Fathers.



Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
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God is with us all the time

By: Elias Bejjani*

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life". John 6.68/Only God knows what is in store for us, especially when our future seems bleak, or when we become prey for misery, despair, depression, hopelessness, helplessness, anger, conflicts, hostilities, grudges, hatred and fall into the Satan's temptation. At all times in sadness or happiness, bad or good, we definitely should trust that God's word is true and that He is with us in every part of our lives. God never ever abandons those righteous who trust in Him and call for His help. Do you need help with the heavy burdens that you are carrying? Do you need conciliation, support and rest? Be fully aware of the promises made by Jesus when we surrender our lives to him and take on His new life—we will find a refreshing rest for our souls. The Lord offers us a trade. As we take on his yoke, which is easy and light, Jesus lifts our burden by carrying upon himself the burdens of our sins.

"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28–30

We have to be sure that God is working out a plan for each and every one of us because we are His beloved children and He is our caring and loving Father. His plan includes a bright hope for our future in all domains and on all levels and at the time. Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope".

God wishes us all that is good and wants us to be good so we can be qualified to return back to Him where He has prepared a dimension (dwelling) for every one of us. But He expects us to assume our ethical-moral-spiritual roles in being actually righteous and to apply His virtues and acts of mercy, forgiveness, love, humbleness, honesty, faith and hope in all that we say, do and think.

All what we have to do when in trouble or in need for any thing is to ask Him and He always is responsive, generous, forgiving and attentive: "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened".

Is your heart broken today?
Is your spirit crushed?
Are you sad and in deep sorrow?
Have you lost a beloved person?
Do you feel that you are abandoned?
Are you lonely and persecuted?
Are you in pain?

Be sure that you are not alone, no not at all. Have faith and hope, open your heart, mind and spirit. Have trust in Almighty God and ask Jesus to shower on you his graces, perseverance and the strength to face courageously and with no fear or hesitation all kinds of hardships. "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit". Psalm 34:18

The Lord is very near to you when facing overwhelming troubles. In fact, the Lord is right there, present with you in the sorrow, in the heartache. He is walking right through it with you. And you can lean on him for comfort, because he too knows what it feels like to be crushed and broken.

God expects us to utilize and invest wisely the talents that were granted to each one of us. He wants us to deal with each other as a one family and help those are in need physically, emotionally, spiritually and materialistically.

We are expected to not only do what is righteous, but also to stand strongly against anything that is not righteous and to take clear and cut stances in evil and Godly matters. We can be neutral, we can be lukewarm, but either hot or cold. "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Rev. 3:15-16

Our hope is to be welcomed in heaven on the Judgment Day and not to be thrown out like the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We must work hard in investing our Godly talents so on Judgment Day we hear the Lord saying us: "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." Matthew 25:23

And most importantly God cautions us not under any given circumstances to assume His role in judging others no matter what their wrongdoings might be: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-5

In conclusion our soul and life are a grant from God and He is the one who decides when to take them back, therefore we are ought to be ready all the time for that moment like the wise virgins who took oil in their vessels with their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. "Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" Matthew 25:13

*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com/ & http://www.clhrf.com/
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Hezbollah's bogus Liberation & Resistance Day

By: Elias Bejjani*

Believe it or not, on May 25 each year since 2000 Lebanon has been celebrating a so-called "Liberation & Resistance Day." Sadly, this celebration commemorates a bogus event, and a phony heroism that did not actually take place.
On May 22, 2000 the Israeli Army unilaterally and for solely Israeli domestic reasons withdrew from the security zone of South Lebanon in accordance with UN Resolution 425. The withdrawal was a fatal Israeli decision that has inspired the Hamas terrorism acts and the on-going havoc in the Palestinian Gaza strip.
During the last 11 years many Israeli officials and politicians form all parties openly and harshly criticized Barak's Government (Barak was PM at that time) hasty and unwise decision through which Israel' abandoned its ally the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and gave Hezbollah all south Lebanon on a plate of sliver.
The unilateral Israeli withdrawal created a security vacuum in south Lebanon. The Syrians who were occupying Lebanon at that time and fully controlling its government, did not allow the Lebanese Army to deploy in the south and fill this vacuum after the Israeli withdrawal. Instead Syria helped the Hezbollah militia to militarily control the whole southern region, and even patrol the Israeli-Lebanese border.

It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army's withdrawal was executed without any military battles, or even minor skirmishes with Hezbollah, or the Lebanese and Syrian armies. The Syrian regime, in a bid to justify both its on going occupation of Lebanon and the avoidance of disarming Hezbollah, came up with the "Shabaa Farms occupation big lie" and declared Hezbollah a Liberator, alleging it had forced Israel to withdrawal from South Lebanon.

Syria, in the same camouflaging and devious context, dictated to both the Lebanese parliament and government to declare May 25th a National Day under the tag of "Liberation & Resistance Day".

In reality Hezbollah did not force the Israeli withdrawal, and did not play any role in the Liberation of the southern Lebanese region. In fact both Hezbollah and Syria deliberately hindered and delayed the Israeli withdrawal for more than 14 years.

Every time the Israelis called on the Lebanese government to engage in a joint, serious effort under the United Nations umbrella to ensure a safe and mutually organized withdrawal of its army from South Lebanon, the Lebanese government refused to cooperate, did not agree to deploy its army in the south, and accused the Israelis of plotting to divide and split the Syrian-Lebanese joint track. This approach to the Israeli calls was an official Syrian decision dictated to all the Lebanese puppet governments during the Syrian occupation era.
Since then, Hezbollah has been hijacking Lebanon and its people, refusing to disarm and advocating for the annihilation of Israel. This Iranian mullahs' terrorist army stationed in Lebanon, is viciously hiding behind labels of resistance, liberation and religion. Hezbollah has recklessly jeopardized the Lebanese peoples' lives, safety, security and livelihood. It has been growing bolder and bolder in the last four years and mercilessly taking the Lebanese state and the Lebanese people hostage through terrorism, force and organized crime.
Sadly, Hezbollah is systematically devouring Lebanon day after day, and piece by piece, while at the same time marginalizing all its governmental institutions in a bid to topple the Lebanese state and erect in its place a Shiite Muslim regime, a replica of the Iranian Shiite mullahs' fundamentalist republic. Meanwhile the free world and Arabic countries are totally silent, indifferent, and idly watching from far away the horrible crime unfolding without taking any practical or tangible measures to put an end to this anti-Lebanese Syria-Iranian scheme that is executed through their spearhead, the Hezbollah armed militia.
Who is to be blamed for Hezbollah's current odd and bizarre status? Definitely the Syrians who have occupied Lebanon for more than 28 years (1976-2005). During their bloody and criminal occupation, Syria helped the Iranian Hezbollah militia build a state within Lebanon and fully control the Lebanese Shiite community.

But also the majority of the Lebanese politicians, leaders, officials and clergymen share the responsibility because they were subservient and acted in a dire Dhimmitude, selfish and cowardly manner. If these so-called Lebanese leaders had been courageous and patriotic and had not appeased Hezbollah and turned a blind eye to all its vicious and human rights atrocities, intimidation tactics, crimes and expansionism schemes, this Iranian Shiite fundamentalist militia would not have been able to erect its own mini-state in the southern suburb of Beirut, and its numerous mini-cantons in the Bekaa Valley and the South; nor would Hezbollah have been able to build its mighty military power, with 70 thousand militiamen, or stockpile more than 50 thousand missiles and force the Iranian "Wilayat Al-Faqih" religious doctrine on the Lebanese Shiite community and confiscate its decision making process and freedoms.

Since Hezbollah's emergence in 1982, these politicians have been serving their own selfish interests and not the interests of the Lebanese people and the nation. They went along with Hezbollah's schemes, deluding themselves that its militia and weaponry would remain in South Lebanon and would not turn against them.

This failure to serve the people of Lebanon allowed Hezbollah to make many Lebanese and most of the Arab-Muslim countries through its terrorism propaganda to blindly swallow its big lie of theatrical, faked resistance and Liberation.

Hezbollah would not have been able refuse to disarm in 1991, like all the other Lebanese militias in accordance to the "Taef Accord," which called for the disarmament of all militias. Hezbollah would not have become a state inside the Lebanese state, and a world-wide terrorism Iranian-Syrian tool which turned against them all after its war with Israel in year 2006 and after the UN troops were deployed on the Lebanese - Israeli borders in accordance with the UN Resolution 1701.

On May 7, 2008 Hezbollah invaded Sunni Western Beirut killing and injuring in cold blood hundreds of its civilian citizens, and attempted to take over by force Mount Lebanon.

Hezbollah's General Secretary Sheik Hassan Nasrallah called that day (May 7, 2008) a great and glorious victory for his resistance, and keeps on threatening the Lebanese that a replicate of that day will take place if they do not succumb and obey his Iranian orders.

Hezbollah is a deadly dragon that the Lebanese politicians have been allowing him to feed on sacrifices from the southern Lebanese citizens, especially on those who were living in the "Security Zone" and who fled to Israel in May 2000 after the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon. This dragon who enjoyed devouring his southern sacrifices has now turned on all the Lebanese and if they do not stand for their rights and dignity, he will keep on devouring them all one after the other.
We call on the Lebanese government, the Lebanese Parliament and on all the free and patriotic Lebanese politicians and leaders to cancel the May 25 National Day, because it is not national at all, and also to stop calling Hezbollah a resistance, put an end for its mini-state, cantons and weaponry, and secure a dignified, honorable and safe return for all the Lebanese citizens who have been taking refuge in Israel since May 2000.
Click Here to read the updated Arabic version of the above editorialhttp://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.thrier25.5.11.htm

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*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.comWeb sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.comMailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1



N.B: This editorial was first published on 25/05/2009. I an republishing it today with minor changes because the same problems that it addressed remain unsolved.